


Happy anniversary

by fantasyfiction



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Moreid, Shooting Guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 22:06:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11723529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fantasyfiction/pseuds/fantasyfiction
Summary: Some officers make fun of Reid when Morgan uses his usual nicknames which makes Reid think whether they are insults. A huge fight ensues. Reid tries to make up later with Morgan but is it too late?





	Happy anniversary

“Did you hear that? Pretty boy! Who calls a grown man pretty  
boy?” The officers standing behind Spencer giggled at what one of their  
colleague had just said. It really annoyed Spencer. He didn’t really mind  
Morgan’s nicknames. He knew they weren’t meant as an insult, but he would  
really like it if Morgan would reserve them for when they were alone or at  
least when it was just the team. No, not Morgan, Derek. He thought smiling to  
himself. They had been dating for around a month now. Actually tomorrow would  
be the one month anniversary. The thought made him a little sad. He and Derek  
had planned on celebrating it by going out for a nice dinner to the diner they  
went for their first date and then staying over at Dereks. But unfortunately a  
case came along. Well at least they were sharing a hotel room so they could  
definitely come up with something nice to do. He immediately stopped his train  
of thought from going any further. A woman’s life was in danger and if he  
continued thinking about his Derek making love to him, he wouldn’t be able to  
concentrate on the case. He shifted his attention to the geographical profile  
in front of him once more.

“Kid, did you find anything?” Derek asked standing just behind him, closer than usual. He looked around the room to see if any of his team members noticed it. The team didn’t know yet. They had planned on telling them once they were sure about the relationship. None of them were present in the room at the moment so he didn’t make any effort to increase the space between them.

“Yes. According to the site the victims were taken from and the site they were dumped, the unsub should have an establishment somewhere in this region…” Spencer said circling a small area in the map.        All Derek could do was smile at his lover with pride, suppressing the very strong urge to press a little kiss on his temple. Spencer smiled back sweetly as Derek proceeded to call Garcia after a small “Good job kid” aimed at Spencer. As Spencer stood there listening to Derek talking flirtatiously to Garcia while asking her to list all the people in the area who had an establishment where they could hold someone hostage without alerting the neighbours , he heard the police officers snickering behind his back again.

“What did the guy say this time? Kid?? Really?? Who calls a grown man kid?” The other officers could barely suppress their laughter at that. “I would kick their ass if anyone ever called me pretty or a kid!   It’s so degrading man!” 

“I know right?!” Another one chimed in. “But look at the guy! Does he look like he could kick someone’s ass?!” He mocked, clearly referring to Spencer.

Spencer was used to people saying mean stuff about him, but this was just too much. A woman was in danger and these useless officers were standing there mocking him and giggling. Were they right though? No, of course not .His Derek was not like that. Spencer had once asked him about the nicknames, when he started working in the BAU. But Derek had convinced him that it wasn’t meant as an insult and Spencer had believed him. It was just Derek’s natural self. He loved using nicknames. They were terms of endearment not insults. 

Spencer erased the anger from his face as he saw Derek approach him. “It will take some time and she will get back to us as soon as she can.” Spencer nodded in understanding. Right now there wasn’t anything they could do other than waiting for the others to come back so they could work on the victimology and the profile, the information on the files wasn’t enough. So they sat in the room where the FBI was supposed to set up reviewing the available info to see if they missed anything. Spencer soon realized that he couldn’t concentrate on the files in front of him. Did Derek really think of him like that? Weak and unable to take care of himself? 

“I am going outside, I need some fresh air.” He said closing the file in front of him as he brushed past Derek to go outside. 

“Where are you going pretty boy? Don’t go too far, others will be back soon and stay out of trouble okay?” Derek said with a small smile, but spencer frowned at that.

“What you don’t think I know that? Why do I need to tell you where I am going Derek? I am an adult who can take care of himself you know?” Suddenly the seeds of doubt planted by those officers had become a huge tree inside his mind. His mind was now racing, reminding him of all the times Derek had said something like that. Huh. Maybe those officers were right after all. He thought to himself as he recalled each and every “kid”, ”pretty boy”, ”you don’t have to do this”, ”don’t go there” and “don’t do that”. 

“Wha..? I didn’t mean it like that pretty boy. I understand you are tired but I was just saying that because I care about you kid, and I don’t want you to get hurt. You have to agree with me here Spencer? You get into trouble a lot!” Derek said trying to lighten the mood but he realized it was a wrong move as soon as he said it. Spencer’s expression changed from annoyance to a combination of anger and hurt.

“Our job has risks Morgan! Everyone gets hurt here once in a while! I remember all the times you thought I wasn’t capable of doing something. Remember the train hostage incident with Elle? You wanted to go there instead of me. Why? Obviously because you thought I wasn’t good enough to do it! You brag about the times you were injured in front of the girls because you think it’s very manly. But when it comes to me? Oh poor, fragile little Reid, someone protect him! You know what Morgan? I made it this far without anyone’s protection and I don’t need it now. You don’t behave like this with anyone else! Not even the girls! JJ doesn’t have experience in the field, but you never do that to her.”

Spencer was yelling by this point. He was so angry he completely ignored the fact that they were on a case inside a local PD.

“Pretty bo..”

“Stop that!” Spencer snapped at Morgan with so much venom in his voice that it made him wince.

“Stop what?”

“These ridiculous nicknames! Who calls an adult male pretty boy or kid?!”

“You never had a problem before!” Morgan snapped back. He wanted to be patient but these accusations just stung a little too much. He loved Spencer. Yes, he hadn’t told him that yet, but he knew without a doubt that he did. He watched out for him because of that , not because he thought Spencer was incapable of doing his job. Never!

“Did someone say something?” Derek inquired. Unfortunately that just catalyzed Spencer’s transition from anger to rage.

“What now I am not even capable of my own thoughts? Wow just… wow !” The sad laugh at the end broke Derek’s heart. He knew something had happened but unless he knew what it was he couldn’t solve this problem. Just as he was about to say something Hotch entered the room. 

“Reid go back to the hotel.” He said in a stern voice. Spencer was in no mood to argue so he just took his satchel and case files and went back to the hotel room. As soon as he entered and his resolve broke and the tears he had been trying to stop all the way to the hotel now started flowing freely. He thought Derek would be different, but he turned out just like the others. He treated him like a kid who required babysitting. He was mad at him for not seeing through those atrocious, belittling nicknames. He hugged the pillow as the silent tears turned into angry sobs making his body tremble. His eyes burned but he did nothing to stop the tears. He cried himself to sleep in the hotel room with an empty feeling in his chest and numbness in his limbs.

He woke up nearly four hours later. He couldn’t remember why he was sleeping while on a case when the events from earlier that day came back to him. He realized he had made a mistake in the heat of the moment as soon as he remembered. He really loved Derek. He was the only one who knew what he wanted even before he said it, who genuinely loved spending time with him. Derek even liked hearing his little facts and statistics. No one does that unless they really care about the other person. He knew he had just snapped at Derek because of his own insecurities. The last month was the best month of his entire life but now this was all over because of his own stupid mistake. He didn’t really break it off but after that argument it was supposed to be over right? He didn’t want it to be over. He had to apologize to Derek. He would understand right? Spencer thought to himself. He had to. Spencer couldn’t lose Derek, his best friend, his lover and the best thing that had happened to him ever because of some stupid policemen!

He checked his phone for any phone calls or messages but there were none. He noticed it was 11 P.M and decided to wait till Derek came back instead of going to the station. They would be returning soon. Instead he could think about what to tell Derek when he came back.

The phone began ringing, it was Hotch. Maybe they caught a break? He answered the phone immediately.

“Yes Hotch sorry for earlier, do you want me to come to the station?”

“No. Reid… the unsub he made a mistake and we caught him.”

“Oh…okay. So it’s done?”

“Reid the unsub was armed and Morgan..”

“What happened to him?!” He stood up as soon as he heard Hotch utter those words. The words choked in his throat and the tears burned at the back of his eyes.

“What happened to him Hotch. Tell me!!” The urgency in his voice clearly indicated how much this affected him but at that moment, he didn’t care if the team figured out about him and Derek. He just wanted to know if Derek was okay.

“He was shot, in the neck. He is in surgery now. We are at St. Mary’s Hospital.”

Spencer disconnected the phone without any further conversation. What if he couldn’t tell Morgan how much he loved him? What if Morgan died thinking Spencer hated him?! He won’t be able to live with himself. No, his Derek was a fighter. He had to be okay. He suddenly realized, on the way to the hospital that he couldn’t really imagine his life without Derek, without his banter, his touch and most of all his loving nicknames. 

When he reached in front of the operating theatre he spotted the team. The doctor came out before he could ask anything.

“Family of Derek Morgan?” The doctor asked.

“That’s us.” Hotch replied without any further clarifications.

“He is incredibly lucky. We have taken out the bullet and he should make a full recovery. It was close but there is nothing to be afraid of now.”

Spencer felt his knees go weak as soon as he heard that and almost fell down. Luckily Hotch was there to catch him and helped him to the nearby chair.

“Can we see him?” He said as soon as he regained control of himself. 

“We generally don’t allow anyone this soon after the surgery, but maybe one of you could stay with him. Be careful not to wake him up though he needs to rest.”

“Thanks Doctor. We appreciate it.” Hotch replied. He shifted his attention back to Spencer. 

“Reid do you..?”

“Yes!” Reid said even before Hotch could complete the sentence. 

He pulled the chair next to the bed and whispered “I am so sorry Derek. Please wake up fast.” As he carefully caressed his cheeks and kissed his forehead.

Derek’s eyes fluttered open after a few moments. 

“Spencer?” He asked in a coarse voice.

“No, no. Call me pretty boy. Tell me I am your pretty boy. Tell me I am the prettiest boy you have ever met. Derek I am so sorry I didn’t mean any of that please forgive me.” His voice choked as the tears began falling.

“Hey pretty boy, look at me.” Derek said gently pulling him closer so that their foreheads were touching.

“You are the prettiest most amazing person I have ever met. I know you didn’t mean any of that okay? I love you baby. A lot.”

“I love you too Derek, so much. I thought I would never be able to say you that.” Spencer with a little sad smile and a small whimper.

“But I am here now right? Promise me if anything ever bothers you, you will tell me okay?”

“Yes,yes I will.”

“Hey kid?”

“hmm…?”

“Happy one month anniversary.”


End file.
